Provide oversight and vision for Fighting Back Santa Maria Valley.Mission: To partner with all members of the community to achieve resilience against substance use, reductions in violence and promote a healthy and safe environment for our youth and families. Currently, lead 44 full-time staff and manage a 5.5 million dollar budget. Programs are focused on helping promising/in-risk/at-risk youth be successful in meeting their educational and personal goals. Santa Maria School Attendance Review Board Co-Chair, Governor’s Children’s Justice Task Force Co-Chair, Drug Free Coalition president, Child Abuse Prevention Council member, Mayor’s Task force on youth safety member, Senior faculty Community Resiliency Model Trainer for Trauma Resource Institute.Awards2023 Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce Non-Profit of the Year2019 Emerging Leader -2019 Santa Barbara Foundation.2017 Non-Profit of the Year. California 35th District State Assembly.

Helping students better understand the Helping Professions

Supervise a staff of seven social workers and two MSW interns as the investigate allegations of Child Abuse and Neglect Serve on the Sexual Abuse Response Team and the Domestic Violence Emergency Team, two multidisciplinary teams that address and investigate child abuse and neglect.Assisted in testing laptops in everyday practice, worked out a plan to get them assigned.Newly appointed to the Children's Justice Act Task ForceLead in the writing of sexual abuse investigations policy to work collaboratively with other agenciesTrain new staff and interns in the basics of CWS workTrain mandated reporters and CASA workers as well as outside agencies on best practicesSupport and reinforce participation in agency provided/sponsored trainingConfer with staff on a regular basis on both performance and developmentAssist in Overseeing the Differential Response Program Develop collaboration with law enforcement, probation, educators, churches, medical professionals, other non profits to prevent child abuse and neglectDeveloped a collaborative approach with FFA's in the North County to get each child in placement a Christmas present for Christmas 2012;

Duties included investigating allegations, serving families at risk, coordinating treatment plans, community education and the production of home studies for court.Selected Accomplishments:Participated in pilot study that became policy for the Commonwealth of Virginia, transitioning agency from investigative model to family assessment model.Trained and educated community on issues of child abuse and neglect.Worked with LAWS (Loudoun Abused Women's Shelter) to help families stay safe as they work to unify after addressing the domestic violence issues in the home.Worked with Loudoun Families for Children to provide respite care for children at risk.

Began as an MSW Intern working with Pre-emancipation planning for children in long-term kinship placement. Ran group for the children and provided case management for both the child and the relation charge of their care. Then was assigned to the Pasadena Office as an CSW II in Family Maintenance and Reunification training Unit. After probationary period was assigned to Emergency Response.Investigated allegations of abuse and neglect. Created case plans for families with allegations of abuse and neglect. Worked with Law Enforcement to ensure the safety of the children while working with the families to reunify. Helped families implement case plans and taught parenting classes. Population presented with a wide variety of social problems including but not limited to